Before YouTube, iTunes and Napster, the only way a young Canadian can listen to new music they like, was turning in to your favourite radio stations or turning on and watching Much Music. then you bought said music at a store that sold CDs or cassettes.https://commons.bcit.ca/evolution1079/files/2020/11/Big_Shiny_Tunes_2.jpg

There was always a risk when you went to buy the album, either the entire album is going to be great or you only going to like that one song you listen to on the radio and the rest is just junk.

Fortunately,  Much Music started releasing mix CDs (or cassettes tapes) called Big Shiny Tunes, and the only one I still have today is Big Shiny Tunes 2.

Big Shiny Tunes 2  came out 23 years ago. If you’re not familiar with this astounding album, Big Shiny Tunes series is an album compiled and released by MuchMusic. Each Album is a combination of Canadian, British and American performers and as of today, Big Shiny Tunes 2 is the fourth best-selling album in Canadian music history (It was third for the longest time until 21 by Adele took that spot).

But does it still hold up with today’s music? I dusted off my boombox and slap my copy of BST2  in and sample a few of the tracks to hear if the songs are still as good today.

The Prodigy–Breathe

This song is the lost child of the lost boys from Neverland. You don’t remember it until you hear it. This is not a song you can sing when driving. The edgy cringe lyrics don’t encourage me to “Breathe the pressure”.  However, this single is an outstanding example of what the genre can be, a very 90s type of big beats along with the addition of Industrial Rock elements.

BLUR- Song 2 

Like the old saying goes, “don’t judge a book by its cover”. BLUR’s Song 2 lacks lyrics but makes up for it in pure energy.  Started out as a song written to poke fun at the Grunge music era. Now it is a song you will hear at any High School Rally.

Part 2: https://commons.bcit.ca/evolution1079/2020/11/03/big-shiny-tunes-2-review-part-2/